Lines of research: Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

The area of planetary and solar systems involves several research groups working on Exoplanets, Solar System and Cultural Astronomy. Our main objectives are:

  • The detection and characterization of giant and rocky planets around nearby stars using the most advanced instruments (CARMENES, ESPRESSO, HARPS Norte y Sur, SONG, LCO, MUSCAT2) and space missions (CoRoT, Kepler K2, CHEOPS, TESS and PLATO). The group is particularly interested in the study of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of their host stars where water can be in liquid form.
  • The characterization of the atmospheres of planets to know their structure and composition, both by transits and direct imaging, using ground-based telescopes such as GTC and space missions such as CHEOPS.
  • Investigate the formation of exoplanet systems by studying the chemical composition of planet host stars, and the dynamical evolution of exoplanets at their early stages of formation.
  • Study the physical properties of different families of minor bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, comets, trans-neptunian objects, etc.) to understand the origin and evolution of Solar System with GTC and space missions such as OSIRIS-REx.
  • The study of ancient cosmologies through cultural astronomy and the defense of cultural heritage through the astronomy.
  • Publication
    Ground-based detection of an extended helium atmosphere in the Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-69b
    Hot gas giant exoplanets can lose part of their atmosphere due to strong stellar irradiation, and these losses can affect their physical and chemical evolution...
  • Publication
    Ground-based search for lightning in Jupiter with GTC/OSIRIS fast photometry and tunable filters
    Context. Lightning flashes in Jupiter have been observed by spacecraft orbiting the planet, but so far, they have escaped optical detection from Earth. However...
  • Publication
    Ground-based tests of JEM-EUSO components at the Telescope Array site, "EUSO-TA"
    We are conducting tests of optical and electronics components of JEMEUSO at the Telescope Array site in Utah with a ground-based "EUSO-TA" detector. The tests...
  • Publication
    Ground-based transit observations of the super-Earth GJ 1214 b
    Context. GJ 1214 b is one of the few known transiting super-Earth-sized exoplanets with a measured mass and radius. It orbits an M-dwarf, only 14.55 pc away...
  • Publication
    GTC OSIRIS z-band imaging of Y dwarfs
    Aims: The aim of the project is to contribute to the characterisation of the spectral energy distribution of the coolest brown dwarfs discovered to date, the Y...
  • Publication
    GTC/CanariCam Deep Mid-infrared Imaging Survey of Northern Stars within 5 pc
    In this work we present the results of a direct imaging survey for brown dwarf companions around the nearest stars at the mid-infrared 10 micron range (λ c = 8...
  • Publication
    GTC/CanariCam Mid-IR Imaging of the Fullerene-rich Planetary Nebula IC 418: Searching for the Spatial Distribution of Fullerene-like Molecules
    We present seeing-limited narrow-band mid-IR GTC/CanariCam images of the spatially extended fullerene-containing planetary nebula (PN) IC 418. The narrow-band...
  • News
    GUIDO MÜNCH: «En Marte pudo haber vida, de la que tal vez se podrían encontrar restos fósiles si buscásemos en el lugar apropiado”
    Entrevista publicada en IAC Noticias. N° 1- 1994. Sección "A través del prisma" Propuesto por el Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias al «Premio Príncipe...
  • Publication
    H-band discovery of additional second-generation stars in the Galactic bulge globular cluster NGC 6522 as observed by APOGEE and Gaia
    We present an elemental abundance analysis of high-resolution spectra for five giant stars spatially located within the innermost regions of the bulge globular...